The Chinese politician’s wife accused of the murder of old Harrovian Neil
Heywood had remarkable power over men, claimed those who knew her while she
lived in Britain.

Gu Kailai, 53, a lawyer who is married to Bo Xilai, one of China’s most powerful men until his recent purge from the party, was described as “beautiful” and seemed to “bewitch” men and gain their loyalty almost immediately.

Among them apparently was Heywood, who some reports claim was so close that it was assumed they were “a couple” while she lived in the seaside resort of Bournemouth in Dorset.

Mrs Gu spent just over a year in Britain to help her son Bo Guagua, then around 10, to learn English and to get him into Harrow School, while Mr Bo was rising through the Politburo ranks in China.

But in that short time she gained a number of friendships among men, many of whom are still keen to defend her.

Richard Starley, a businessman who owned the flat she rented and used to take her out for meals, said he was introduced to her by a man who ran a local language school.

“She was a very nice lady,” he said. “She was always very well dressed and extremely charming.

“All this rubbish that she is embroiled in some kind of murder to me just does not ring true.”

Mr Starley said Mrs Gu lived in a modest three-bedroom flat alone in an office block at the end of the 1990s with her son. Earlier reports said that three “well spoken men”, including Heywood, were often working with her in the flat.

Companies House records show that she lived there with a French architect Patrick Henri Devillers who had set up a company with her called Adad Ltd in a nearby business park. The company was set up in 2000 and then disolved in 2003.

Giuseppe Flachi, 70, who runs the Valentino restaurant near the flat, said he cooked for her most lunch times – and occasionally she came with a tall Frenchman.

“She was a beautiful and wonderful woman,” he said.

“She used to have sea bass. Everyday she would have lunch usually just before we were closing because she did not like it very busy.”

He said that he got to know her so well that he was asked to teach her son how to play tennis.

Another woman who worked nearby said that Mrs Gu only seemed interested in making friends with men.

“She came across at first as very shy but men would fall over themselves to help her,” said the woman, who wished to remain anonymous.

“It was quite funny. She really knew how to wrap them around her little finger.